Closer
by Austin B
Summary: “It’s not all that strange, if you think about it.” He said aloud, forgetting that Bones couldn’t actually read his thoughts it just felt like she could sometimes. She threw him an odd look over her shoulder, and he smiled. “How close we are, I mean.
1. Fight

**Closer **

Summary: "It's not all that strange, if you think about it." He said aloud, forgetting that Bones couldn't _actually_ read his thoughts; it just felt like she could sometimes. She threw him an odd look over her shoulder, and he smiled softly. "How close we are, I mean."

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own it.

* * *

"Oh, hey Cupcake!" Angela greeted Booth as he bounded up the steps to the platform containing his squints, Bones and a set of bones.

"Hi, muffin." He returned dryly with a crooked grin. "Whaddya got for me, Bones?" Was his greeting to her.

Normally, Temperance wouldn't be bothered. She'd usually wouldn't even look up from the body she was examining, she'd simply relay the information she'd uncovered to her partner. But today…something was different today. She'd felt it for a while, but it had become too much.

"Good morning, Booth. I'm fine, thank you. How are you today?" She said sarcastically, not looking up. Booth blinked, surprised, then he laughed.

"Bones, was that sarcasm I just heard?"

She clenched her teeth, shaking her head in dismissal and launched into her work again.

"His name is Jordan Mooney, if you're interested. Twenty six year old Caucasian male, most likely played baseball in his youth for several years. Cause of death is a blow to the back of the head with a round object a quarter in diameter."

Booth eyed her suspiciously for a moment, deciding that he'd have to talk to her later. In the mean time, he'd do his job, and that meant not letting his concern for all things Temperance Brennan get in the way.

* * *

She stared at her computer screen blankly, willing words to come to her head. Temperance closed her eyes and cursed, feeling the familiar burn of frustrated tears behind her eyelids. She pressed her head into her hands and tangled her fingers in her hair tightly.

Wiping at her tearstained face with the back of her wrist, she decided it was time to give up this torment and go home to another one. She turned off her computer and stood quickly; too quickly. Her limbs felt like lead and spots clouded her vision. Her knees buckled, and Booth came to her doorway just as she leaned heavily on her desk and slipped to the floor.

He was quickly beside her, helping her to her couch. Temperance vaguely acknowledged relief and happiness that he was with her. She just hated being alone. Once her vision cleared, she looked up at him, color rising to her cheeks.

"You alright, Bones?" He asked softly, pushing her hair off her shoulders.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I've just been feeling a little faint today." She said, unconvincingly, and made to stand, but Booth's hand around her wrist pulled her back down.

"I don't think so. You just nearly passed out. You need to rest a while before you get back up."

"Booth, I'm FINE. Stop trying to protect me! I don't need it!" Temperance shouted, yanking out of his grasp and standing, leaning on her desk.

Booth was taken aback by her anger. Now he knew something was definitely wrong.

"Did you eat anything today?"

"Of course I did." She snapped, grabbing her coat. Booth stood, blocking her path, his finger touching her chin.

"Look at me."

Her jaw clenched in anger, but after a moment she complied.

"Did you sleep last night?" He asked suspiciously, and when she looked away, he knew he'd hit it.

"Well, I…kept waking up and I…only got a couple hours, but-"

"How often does this happen?" His hands encased her shoulders. Her forehead creased, her eyes searched the floor. Damn him and his warm eyes that begged to be let in. Damn the soft way he treated her in her moments of weakness, which seemed alarmingly frequent in the days following the Grave Digger.

"Ever since…" She knew she didn't need to finish the sentence.

Booth let out a long breath and ushered her out of her office with his arm around her shoulders. But she shrugged him off.

"I don't need-"

Booth stopped abruptly and interrupted her angrily.

"You don't need my help, I know. You never pass up a chance to tell me just how much you don't need me. But have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe I get concerned about you. I want to be the one who's there for you when you need it. I want to make sure you're really as okay as you pretend to be!"

Temperance was shocked. He'd never yelled at her before, not like that. He'd never really gotten angry at her. It wasn't a good feeling, to be on the receiving end of his wrath. What made it worse was the pain she saw lurking in his chocolate eyes.

He waited for her to say something. Anything! But she still couldn't find any words. So he just turned on his heel and left. Temperance blinked, wondering if that had really just happened. She was so tired, she could hardly think straight. She didn't really want to drive, but asking Booth for a ride now was out of the question. So she plodded to her new car, parked close to the door in a well lit, well documented spot.

* * *

Hey all!! There will be at least one more chapter that I know of. I'm still writing. The title may change. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear 'em, cause I'm plum out. Thanks for reading, I'd love it if you'd review!!

Austin B.

:-)


	2. Sleep

**2. Sleep **

* * *

Luckily Bones was alert enough to make it home safely, but once she was inside her apartment, she didn't feel safe at all. She kept thinking about what Booth had said to her. How he thought she didn't need him. The truth was, she needed him more than she'd ever needed anyone. Now that her brother had taken off with her father, her work family was all she had. Booth was the one who knew her better than anyone.

She looked around her, standing in the middle of her empty apartment, surrounded by all of her worldly things. Hugging her arms around herself, she longed for someone to be there with her. With a deep breath, she pushed the feeling aside, as she had done countless times before, and got ready for bed.

After an hour of tossing and turning, unable to close her eyes because of the images her imagination conjured in the dark, Temperance reached for her cell phone. She was about to dial Booth when it rang, Booth's name coming up on the caller ID. She sighed in relief and answered.

"Booth?"

"Bones."

There was a small silence before he spoke again.

"I'm sorry. For what I said, I didn't…"

"No, I know. You were right. I try to make sure everyone knows that I don't need them, just in case…"

"In case they leave you." He finished for her. "I'm not going to leave you Temperance. I promise. You have to know how much I mean that."

She swallowed down the lump in her throat, but her voice still broke. "I know." She wanted to say so much more to him, but she was afraid he'd hear her crying.

He laughed nervously on the other end. "We never fight like this, this is weird."

Bones returned his laugh, then sniffled a little, wiping her eyes. "Well I guess we hurt the ones we…"

She stopped, realizing what she was about to say.

"The ones we love, Bones, that's how the expression goes."

"I know the expression." She said softly. "I'm not completely out of touch."

Booth was silent for a moment before saying unsurely, "Can I…Bones, would you mind terribly if I came over for a bit. I just…I just want to see you for a sec."

"Sure. I'll be up." She said with a smile.

"See you in ten."

It was eight, actually, when he knocked on her door. There was hardly any traffic, due to the late hour.

Bones opened the door in a spaghetti strap camisole and big, gray cotton pants. Booth chewed his lower lip momentarily as he took in the sight of her. She reddened slightly before stepping aside to wordlessly let him in.

"Want anything? Water? Beer?"

"A beer would be great. I got it, don't worry. Sit down, it's late." He waved her off and got two beers to bring to the living room. Bones curled up in the corner of her couch and Booth sat beside her, an appropriate distance away. He slouched down in the couch, tipping his head back to rest.

"Tired?" She asked.

"Incredibly."

"I won't make you drive all the way home. You can stay here, if you want."

He picked up his head and looked at her as she nonchalantly took a drink of her beer. She finally looked at him again, and he smiled gently.

"Yeah, sure. That'd be great. I'm beat."

After another moment of contemplative, yet comfortable silence, Bones spoke.

"Booth, I really am sorry for…I don't know, making you feel like you're not needed. I do need you. Probably more than you know. More than I should." She said softly, tracing the condensation off her beer bottle with her thumbs.

Booth memorized the details of her face, as he had done countless times before, when she wasn't looking. He finally looked away, taking a long pull off his own beer. He knew tonight would be a moment of truth kind of night, but he hadn't realized how hard it would be.

"I guess I do get a little protective sometimes." He looked over to see her roll her eyes, and he laughed, "Okay, a lot of the time." They met eyes again and it seemed to still the very clock on the wall. "I just care too much about you to let anything happen to you."

Bones swallowed hard and fought to control herself from seeking comfort in his embrace. The deep color of his eyes seemed to want to pull her closer.

"Well, I'll promise to accept your help sometimes if you promise to tone down the alpha male inclination."

He grinned, "Deal."

They toasted, and Booth drained the last of his. Brennan was still nursing hers contemplatively.

"You need to get some sleep, Bones. You looked awful today."

"There you go again." She sighed, but got up anyway, taking his bottle out of his hands gently. "And thanks for that. You of all people should know you can't tell a woman that."

Booth smiled as he followed her to the kitchen, where she deposited the beer bottles in a separate can for recycling and started washing her plate from her meager supper.

"It's not all that strange, if you think about it." He said aloud, forgetting that Bones couldn't ACTUALLY read his thoughts; it just felt like she could sometimes. She threw him an odd look over her shoulder, and he smiled softly. "How close we are. I mean," He continued quickly when she glanced over her shoulder at him again. "I just mean that, you know, we're both very dedicated to our work and not a lot of people understand that."

She nodded, thankful for his light explanation of the inherent comment that could've been interpreted oh so many ways. But she jumped a little when his arms settled around her, stilling her hands that cleaned the dishes.

"Stop that. You need to go to sleep. This can wait." His voice was soft near her ear and his breath rustled her hair gently. She simply nodded again as he pushed her gently toward her bedroom.

She stopped halfway there and turned back to him as he hovered over the light switch in the kitchen.

"Um, blankets are in this cupboard. Do you want a bigger pillow?" She was stalling, and they both knew it.

"No, I'm fine."

Bones bit her bottom lip nervously before crossing the distance to him. She looked up into his face uncertainly. He gave her a smile and she returned it, standing on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck. A little surprised, Booth wound his arms around her soundly.

"Goodnight, Booth." She whispered, her lips so near to his ear that his eyes slid shut blissfully. When she pulled back he struggled to form words.

"Night, Bones." He sighed when she'd gone into her room, and clicked off the light, making sure the door was locked. He settled onto the plush couch with a fluffy blanket.

Exhausted, the scent of lavender off the blanket that reminded him of her lulled him into a light sleep dotted with dreams of her.

Temperance snuggled into her blankets, clinging onto a pillow in front of her. Exhaustion overtook her, and although it would have been much easier to sleep if he was in the room with her, the comfort of knowing Booth was in the next room allowed her the peace of mind to drift off.

* * *

Austin B. 


	3. Dream

Thanks everybody for the great reviews!! January 24th is so far away, it's killing me! I hope this fic provides some relief for you during these difficult times, as it has for me.

**3. Dream**

* * *

"Seeley." She murmured, caught in a dream. Booth's eyes snapped open. What had woken him? "Seeley!" Temperance gasped, louder this time, and Booth was on his feet and stealthily strode to her door. He poked his head in and she was twisted in her sheets, her hands clutching the pillow under her head.

"Seeley!" She cried, a soft sob escaping her, and Booth could take it no longer. On the edge of her bed he reached over and grasped her shoulders, giving her a soft shake and whispering her name.

"Temperance." He cooed. "Temp, wake up." She did so with a gasp, and by some miracle, his face was above her. She blinked hard and her eyes widened, then she sat up quickly and threw her arms around him. "It's okay, I'm here. It was just a dream." He murmured to her. She couldn't hear his words, but simply hearing his voice calmed her furiously beating heart.

"Oh God." She whispered in a shuddering breath, her tears finally subsided. "I'm sorry I woke you, Booth."

"Totally fine. I should be thanking you; I think I got my alpha male fix for the day already."

She laughed and wiped the tears off her face. She was sitting up, and Booth was leaning one arm over her legs.

"You okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I don't even remember it now. I think you were dying." She laughed morbidly, causing him to laugh.

"I don't plan on kicking the bucket anytime soon, so don't worry."

"Kicking the bucket?"

"It means to die." He explained easily, not surprised that she hadn't heard the expression. He was kind of glad, in a way, to be the one teaching these simple things to her.

"Oh." She smiled a small smile. He would've stayed, but she didn't seem to want to talk about it.

"Can you go back to sleep?"

Temperance hesitated a little before saying, "Yeah."

"Sure?"

She nodded. "Yeah, it was stupid."

"Everybody has nightmares, Bones, and after an ordeal like you went through, it's completely normal."

"Do you think they'll ever go away?" She asked timidly. Booth reached out to tuck some hair behind her ear. Her eyes closed briefly.

"I know they will."

"Thank you for being here."

"My pleasure." He grinned. "Go back to sleep, I'll be right out here."

"Night." She said, and he exited. She lay back down, but certainly didn't feel like sleeping. But ultimately, her body's need for sleep overtook her, and as her eyelids began to droop, she remembered that in her nightmare, Booth wasn't dying, he was leaving her.

* * *

Booth woke before she did, and turned her alarm clock off. It was only 8, but he knew her internal clock would wake her up soon no matter how much sleep she needed. He started breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast.

She was woken by the sun streaming through her slanted blinds, and the tantalizing smell of…something wonderful wafting from the kitchen. She heard a pan clanging on her stove, and something sizzling. Then she heard his voice, he was singing softly. Temperance smiled at how wonderful it felt to have someone with her when she woke. No, how wonderful it felt to have Booth with her when she woke. Cooking her breakfast, to boot! She came into the kitchen, arms raised above her head stretching, and Booth glanced back.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty." He said, grinning. "Just in time." He brought two plates to the table and poured them glasses of milk. Temperance just watched the scene in wonder. "Well, sit down."

She suddenly gasped when she caught sight of the wall clock. "Booth, it's 9 o'clock, why didn't you wake me up!" she cried, throwing her hands up and turning to get ready.

"Bones, relax, I already called Goodman, he said you could come in whenever you wanted." He said dismissively, which instantly shot her temper through the roof.

She reached forward and grabbed his arm in one of her famous karate moves, and effectively threw him to the floor.

"Jesus H, Bones, what the hell is your problem?"

"_My_ problem? Booth, don't you remember what you said last night? Stop changing my life around, I don't like it!" She turned to get ready for work, but he grabbed her arm. She reached up with the other one to smack him, but he grabbed that one too. Temperance may have the skills to knock him out, but he was still much stronger than her, and he stilled her.

"Booth!" She yelled, "Let me go!"

"Bones, calm down for one second, Jesus. I'm sorry if your life is changing, but it's not all my fault, you know. You went through something and no matter how much you say you're fine, I know you're not. I can see it, Temperance. I just want to make you feel like you again, that's all I want!"

"I don't want to need you." She whispered, passion toiling behind her cerulean eyes.

"I'm sorry." He whispered back. "But I'm not going anywhere. I'm still going to be in your face, in your house, asking you if you're okay, making you eat and sleep more than you think you need to. Because face it, I know best." He said haughtily, and she tried not to smile. His grip had loosened, but she didn't pull away. Their bodies were touching, their faces so close she could see the patterns of light and dark brown in his irises. They liked being close, she'd figured. It seemed to happen a lot. She didn't question it, but this morning there was a warm feeling clenching in her stomach and her chest.

Unconsciously, she wanted to tip her chin up to brush her lips against his, but she banished the thought quickly.

"Will you please eat some breakfast before you rush into work?"

She considered it. It sort of felt like she was giving up, losing the argument. But she was hungry, and she knew her brain functioned better with breakfast in her. So she rolled her eyes and conceded.

"Bacon's a little crispy." She said, looking at him with mock cruelty. "And the egg's a little dry."

"Oh shutup!" He laughed and tossed a chunk of crispy bacon at her, which crumbled into seven pieces in her lap, which only caused them to laugh harder.

Booth drove her into work before going to his office to shower and change. The squints didn't need him on a case that day, so he tried working on his own backed up paper work. It took him much longer than usual, because he kept finding himself deep in thought, wondering what his life would be like without her. Wondering what his life would be like with more of her.

* * *

"Hey sweetie, you look good." Angela said at her doorway. Temperance looked up and smiled.

"Thanks. I feel good."

Angela furrowed her brow, then narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"For the past week you've been all…tired, cranky and haggard. Now this morning you come in late, looking all shining and chipper. What happened?"

"You sound disappointed."

"Of course I'm not! I just want to know why the sudden change."

"I just got a good night sleep for once. Well, almost a perfect night. I did wake up once."

"So why can't you stop smiling?"

Temperance looked up, trying to look appalled at her friend's nosiness, but she was grinning. She got up to try going to work and escape her, but Angela was relentless.

"Who is he?" Angela asked after Brennan as she came onto the platform, where Zach and Hodgins were looking over a skeleton.

"We don't know yet." Zach replied, and Angela rolled her eyes.

"Who is who?" Brennan feigned innocence, though the image of her and Booth laughing over breakfast, which was actually intensely delicious, just kept her smiling.

"The guy who made you so happy last night." Angela said with an over zealously happy expression. Temperance just looked shocked at her friend's brazenness, though she was used to it by now.

"There was no guy!" She said, snapping on a pair of rubber gloves.

"You're lying! Just tell me, you know you want to. You know I'll get it out of you sooner or later." Angela leaned against the rail, looking quite smug. Temperance rolled her eyes.

"It was nothing. I just…"

"Yes?" Angela leaned forward, hoping against hope that this was the news she'd wanted to hear since Booth came onto the scene.

"Booth just-"

"Booth!" Angela whispered harshly, beyond excited.

"Let me finish! Nothing happened, he slept on my couch. We fought yesterday and he came over to talk and it was late so he stayed."

"And that was it?" Angela asked, looking a little disappointed.

"Yes, Ang, sorry I failed you. But he did cook me breakfast."

"Wow. That's more than most of the guys you sleep with do for you."

Temperance smiled, knowing Booth has done far more for her than all the guys she's slept with put together and then some.

* * *

Merry Christmas everybody!! Hope Santa brought you everything you wanted. All I asked Santa for was for my lovely readers to review and share their thoughts with me. : D

Mockingbird84 - lol are BB fics that predictable? I honestly laughed out loud when I read your review, because you got me pegged! Anyway, thanks for the review and I hope you continue to R&R!

Austin B.


	4. Dance

**4. Dance **

* * *

Temperance went home relatively early that day. She was in a strangely good mood, and hadn't put up much of a fight when Angela begged her to go to the club with her later. She kind of thought it would be fun to get dressed up and go out with her friend. She hadn't done that in a long, long time. 

Angela was coming over at ten, which was in a half hour, and Temperance was still deciding on an outfit. She decided on a ruffled black skirt that stopped a couple inches above her knee, a red silk halter top and black high heels. Her hair was pulled up high, with the strands that fell out of the bun curled gently.

She was ready early and sat drinking a beer for a few minutes. She contemplated calling Booth, since she hadn't talked to him since that morning. But she realized that a month ago she could've gone days without talking to him if they didn't have a case to work on. No more than a week, though. He usually called to ask her to go to Wong Foo's after four days. God, when had she started keeping track!? She rolled her eyes at herself, then there was a knock at the door.

"Angela, you're a couple minutes early, I'm sur-" the words died on her lips when she saw Booth standing there. "-prised. Booth? What are you doing here?"

He seemed more surprised than she did, however. His mouth hung open slightly.

"Bones, you look amazing!"

"Oh, thanks. I'm going out with Angela."

And speak of the devil, who comes bounding up behind Booth but Angela herself, sporting one of her trademark mischievous grins.

"Hey cupcake." She said to Booth, who surveyed her outfit as well.

"Lookin good, muffin."

She slapped his arm playfully, then addressed her friend, "Bren, smoking hot!" Temperance opened her mouth to say something, but Angela, when excited, can't be stopped. "Say, Booth, why don'tcha, y'know, come tag along with us? Shake that money maker." She said, arching a brow.

"Angela, have you already started drinking?" Temperance asked, catching a whiff of the tequila on her breath and the gloss in her eyes.

"A little. You did, too." She objected, pointing to the beer bottle in her hand.

"Beer, not tequila!"

"Meh, tomato, tomatoe. So, how's about it, sweets?" She grinned up at him.

"How can I say no to that face?" He shrugged to Bones, who just shook her head at her friend. She wasn't sure how she felt about going out to a club with Booth in tow. She suddenly felt self conscious about her outfit. Was it too skimpy? Was she in style? Things she'd never worried about before. Thus, she was in a halfway surly mood by the time they got to the club, between Booth's incessant presence and increasing prominence in her life and Angela's shameless flirting with him.

The club was packed, and they pushed their way through the crowd, Booth acting as the women's plow. Angela had hold of his jacket, and was holding Temperance's hand. They ordered drinks and Angela dragged Temperance out on the floor. She sure didn't feel like it, but Angela's ever-joyful mood started to rub off on her and she did enjoy herself. Angela even managed to persuade Booth to join them dancing. He couldn't help but enjoy himself, dancing with two beautiful women.

His tie had been loosened, a couple top buttons of his shirt undone, and the alcohol must have been getting to her, because Temperance seemed to be flirting with him a lot more than she should've.

He was ordering them more drinks when another man came up to tap Temperance on the shoulder. She turned to find an attractive man smiling wolfishly at her. She leaned one hand on the bar, setting the other on her hip.

"You look fantastic." He cooed, stepping a little closer to her. Temperance grinned as he put his arm through hers and around her waist. Booth had looked over at them, abandoned their drinks and now cleared his throat loudly, removing the man's arm from around her and wedging himself in between them, facing the guy.

"Excuse me, Jack, she's with me."

"My name's-" His protest went unfinished as Booth turned his back to him to face Temperance, whose expression clearly showed her unhappiness with him. He knew it was coming, so he ushered her through the people and out the front door with his hands on her shoulders as she continually tried to shake him off.

Once outside, Temperance turned on him immediately, poking her finger into his chest.

"This is EXACTLY what I'm talking about!"

"Bones, I know, I-"

"No, Booth, you obviously don't know, because you keep doing it! You-"

"Listen to me, I'm sorry, but I know how guys are! He would've said anything to get you to leave with him."

"Booth, I've been living on this planet for a few decades, I think I've figured some things out. Contrary to popular belief, I do know a little bit about people." She turned to walk back inside, but he grabbed her hand.

"Temperance, don't walk away! I know you can handle yourself, I'm just trying to-"

"Help? Protect me? No, you're not! I would have been just fine. Unless you claim me, you have no right to me." She finally shot at him venomously. It had been lurking there for a while, she realized. She was sick of him acting like he had a right to be jealous of the guys who were involved with her. She wasn't his. He always pretended like he was protecting her, but she knew him too well to fall for that.

She saw him clench his jaw, angry that she called him out on his bull shit. But, he supposed, he should be used to it by now. She rolled her eyes, but before she could turn away, he sighed and pulled her to him with an arm around her waist and a hand on her face, tilting her lips up to meet his.

He kissed her without restraint, giving in to all the times he'd wanted this. When she tightened her grasp on his shirt, pulling him closer to her, he wrapped his arms around her slim body tighter.

In the doorway, Angela had come out to yell at them for leaving her, but was dead still in her spot. She broke into a grin, punched her fist in the air and mouthed an enthusiastic, "YES!!" She danced back inside, knowing she'd get all the details later.

Temperance sighed against his lips, pulling back to set her forehead on his chest, her head still spinning from the passion she felt from him.

"How was that for claiming? Now do I have a right to be jealous?"

Temperance nodded, then looked up at him with an objection on the tip of her tongue, but Booth just kissed her again.

"Please, Temperance, just don't."

She licked her lips, trying to get her mind to focus. How could she not wonder about the future? How could she not be concerned for their partnership? But the look in his eyes made her sigh and smile. She trusted him completely, and had wanted this for too long to stop now.

"Okay." She agreed.

"I'm going to go home now. You go back inside and have fun with Angela." He said, and all she had the power to do was nod. He hailed a cab and turned back to her, "And _don't_ let any guys hit on you!"

She laughed, "I can't promise anything. I mean, look at me." She shrugged, laughing, and he bit his lower lip. He'd done nothing but stare at her the whole night. He shook his head, and would've kissed her again, but he didn't trust his self control. So he just grinned as a cab pulled up.

"Goodnight Temperance."

He opened the door, but she pulled him back to her and kissed him on her tip toes, wrapping her arms around his neck. She pulled back to look in his eyes.

"Goodnight Seeley."

The way his name fell from her lips made him smile. Temperance watched the cab drive out of sight then walked back inside, where Angela was waiting to pounce on her. Angela was in heaven that night, listening to her friend gush about that amazing kiss. And while Temperance did have a little trouble sleeping that night, it had nothing to do with fear or nightmares.

* * *

-Austin B. 

OK.. so now what? I'm not sure how to continue. Or if you want me to continue, even. So help me out here, and review.


	5. Work

**5. Work**

* * *

Bones typed furiously at her computer, a rush of inspiration taking hold of her. It was late in the afternoon, and a body was being wheeled into the lab, but she was afraid if she stopped the words now, she wouldn't be able to pick them up again.

"Hey." Booth called from her doorway.

"Where have you been, I've been waiting for this case and Angela's been hounding me all day about us!" Bones seethed at him.

"Good afternoon to you, too, babe." He quipped, sitting on her couch. Bones finished typing the sentence she was on and came around to sit next to him.

"Sorry. Hi."

Booth grinned, taking her hand, "Can you really blame her?"

"I guess not. Not after the show we gave her outside of the club last night." She gave him a searing look and walked out of her office. Booth sprang up and followed her to steps, where he stilled her by taking her arm. He stepped closer to her, grabbing a handful of her blue lab coat. He leaned his lips close to her ear to whisper something particularly inappropriate, but the sound of voices approaching made him spring back.

Angela was walking with Hodgins, Zack trailing behind with a book in his hands. Angela stopped mid sentence when she saw the pair.

"Oh, hi Booth."

"Hi."

Hodgins briefly noted the light blush on Brennan's cheeks as he sat at his station, analyzing particles under his microscope. Zack continued pursuing his own train of thought, oblivious to those around him. Angela sauntered up onto the platform after them, leaning against the rail.

"Please, go on." She prompted, eyeing them both with a huge grin.

Booth cleared his throat and filled her in on the circumstances leading up to the arrival of the skeleton residing on her table.

Once Bones got up to her elbows in the skeleton, Booth knew he'd been tuned out.

"I'll be back later when you've got more information for me." He said, descending off the platform.

"Booth!" Bones exclaimed, peeling off her gloves and rushing down after him. He stopped, surprised. "I'll walk you out." She said with a smile, taking his arm.

He grinned down at her, placing his hand over hers that lay in the crook of his arm.

"I'm impressed. And flattered. You've got bones on your table and you choose to walk me to my car. You know if I did this for you, you'd say-"

"I can walk to my car myself, I know. But I have a great team, they can get along without me for five minutes."

Hodgins looked up to see them walk out, arm in arm. He looked over at the skeleton on the table. How did Booth find the secret to get Brennan to stop working?

"How the hell did that happen?" Hodgins asked Angela, who was watching them closely until they were out of sight.

"They finally figured out what I've been telling them all along."

"Really? They-"

"They're in love, my hairy friend. And I don't mind saying I had an instrumental part in it."

"Oh please, you know they would've gotten together eventually."

"I know, but it might have taken a while. And I got to see them kiss."

"What! Unfair. It's like I missed the last five minutes of a movie." A devilish look came over his features as he looked at her. "Maybe you could, you know, do a little re-enactment for me? I'll play Booth and you can play Dr. Brennan."

Angela scoffed at him, but couldn't help her grin.

* * *

"If you want I can come over later and cook you something." Booth suggested hopefully.

Bones raised an eyebrow at him. "You cook?"

"Of course I do. I cook for Parker all the time." He answered indignantly.

"Somehow I don't think grilled cheese and macaroni is going to cut it." Bones smiled as they stopped by his SUV.

"Come on, give me some credit."

"Alright, fine. I'd love that."

"That means you have to leave the lab at a reasonable time. Say, seven?"

"I don't know, Booth, we just got a new case." Doubt flashed over her features and he pulled her closer to him.

"Temperance, trust me on this one. We will solve this case. We both know that you work better when well rested. I think it will be better for everyone if you would let me come over tonight." He argued very diplomatically.

She laughed, "Oh, yeah? Alright, you're pretty convincing."

"Okay, I'll be back later." He pulled her to him by her lapels with a sexy growl and kissed her gently. Watching the spark in her eyes made his pulse quicken before she stood on her toes to kiss him a little deeper.

He had to stop the words from spilling from him as she took her lower lip between her teeth and backed away from him, grinning before walking back inside. He wanted nothing more than to tell her how much he loved her, but knew he had to take things slow. She had a tendency to be fearful of deep connections with people, in case they left her. But Booth knew he could never leave her, not ever.

With that thought, he pulled out his cell phone as he exited the Jeffersonian parking lot.

"Hi, mom." He replied to the familiar voice.

"Seeley, what a surprise! How are you?"

"I'm great, mom. Listen, do you still have Grandma's engagement ring?"

"Of course I do, it's in the spare room."

"Well, keep it out; I might need it sometime later."

"Seeley, what are you talking about?" Booth heard the excitement in her voice and smiled.

* * *

"Welcome back." Angela quipped, appearing out of nowhere as Bones re entered the lab.

"Don't even start, Ang."

"What? Can't your best friend want to know about your life?" She asked innocently. Bones smiled gently.

"You're right. I'm sorry. Let's get the interrogation over with." She sighed, closing the door to her office, with an excited Angela inside.

"Is he a good kisser? Graphic details, please."

Of course that would be her first question, Brennan smiled affectionately and nodded once strongly, eliciting a happy dance from Angela. As she hopped from foot to foot, she continued.

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"I don't know. He's coming over tonight to cook me dinner."

"Oh my God, he cooks!" Angela fanned herself.

"Apparently so." Bones watched Angela's strange reaction to that information.

"Don't worry. Dinner won't be the main event." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."

It took her a moment before her eyes widened and she slapped Angela on the arm with an exclamation…and a grin.

* * *

Ok, so I was writing an epilogue for this story and it turned into two chapters.. so it's your lucky day! You're going to get another chapter! But then I'm done, swear to God. But I will have other Bones stories, that's a promise! THanks to all my fantastic reviewers!

Austin B.


	6. Love

**6. Love**

* * *

Booth cooked a delicious pasta with a side of grilled cheese, just to make Bones laugh. She'd been watching him move about the kitchen with a kind of grace that she'd never seen in him before. 

"What?" He asked when he brought the glasses of wine to the table and noticed she'd been staring.

"Nothing. Just admiring a side of you I don't get to see very often." Bones said honestly.

Booth grinned, reaching across the table to take her hand, "You could see it much more often if you wanted."

Bones memorized his eyes. The depth of emotion she saw there and the unspoken promise of something much more didn't frighten her, as she thought it might. Instead, a grin tugged at her the corners of her mouth and Booth brought her hand to his lips to kiss it.

* * *

_A few months later… _

* * *

Temperance didn't know it could be like this. No one had ever told her perfection like this could exist. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the back of the couch. They'd spent a day together, her, Booth and Parker. Now she was exhausted as Booth poured them some wine. 

She took the glass from his hand with a smile, and he sat next to her. She leaned forward so he could put his arm around her shoulders and pull her closer to his chest.

This is how it's supposed to be, she sighed and closed her eyes. A day at the lab, bringing justice to the nameless. Bickering with her best friend. A night with a family. A real bona fide family. She never knew piggy backs were so instrumental in bonding with a child. She never knew they were so tiring, either, she thought with a smile.

"What're you smiling for?"

Bones opened her eyes, smiling up at him as he dipped his head to kiss her.

"Just thinking that I could get used to this."

She snuggled up with her back to his chest, her legs stretched out on the couch and Booth's arm around her shoulders. He pressed a kiss to her hair.

"Good. Me too."

They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the other's presence. Until Booth got up enough courage to say the words he'd practiced for weeks.

"Tempe." He started, and the tone in his voice made her sit up and face him. The unabashed adoration in her eyes made his breath hitch. "Tempe, I love you."

She smiled, "I love you too, Booth." She marveled at the feeling of completeness every time she said the words.

"I love you so much, and I don't ever want you to get away."

"I don't ever want to get away." Bones grinned, and Booth laughed and took her hands.

"I know. But I want you to be mine and only mine forever. I want to fight with you and work with you and cook for you and make love to you and keep you safe. And I know you don't want kids and I know you don't believe in marriage and that's fine, if anything makes you uncomfortable then we don't have to. I'd wait for you forever if you wanted." He took a deep breath, knowing he sounded rushed and rambling. Bones was looking at him with wide, innocent eyes.

"My point is… I would be honored if you would marry me."

Her eyes shifted over the living room, over their entwined hands and back to his face. A pang of fear shot through her. Not fear of disappointment or abandonment, but fear of disappointing him. After all, she was just Bones, the socially inept forensic anthropologist who had a tendency to bore. Booth could have had hoards of women vying to please him, but he chose her. It never stopped amazing her.

"Booth this is a big step. Are you sure?"

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

She swallowed hard, and Booth interjected quickly, afraid she was going to say no.

"It's okay, you don't have to answer me right now if you don't want to. No pressure at all. But you can take this." He procured the ring he'd received from his mother a few days ago. In a very un-Bones-like action, Temperance gasped softly, her hand coming up to her chest. She gently took the ring from his fingers and looked at it closely.

"Oh it's beautiful!" She murmured. But she looked back to him with words on her tongue, and a furrow in her brow. He interrupted her.

"Bones, you don't have to say anything. You can keep that and never speak of this again, I don't care. I just wanted you to know how I felt."

She was grinning. "Shut up, Booth! I'll marry you!"

"What! Really?"

She nodded vehemently and he stood, gathering her in his arms. He kissed her hard, but she pushed him away to look at the ring she'd slipped on her finger.

"It suits you." He said softly.

"I love it. I love you." Bones said softly, turning her head to kiss him sweetly, and admiring her engagement ring through blurry eyes.

She used to feel angry and cheated that she'd never known happiness like this could exist. Now she knew she was just waiting for the right person to show it to her.

* * *

Ok everyone together now, "Awwww.." Had to finish it up right. Hope you liked the way I ended things. And this IS the end! So quit bugging me to continue: ) Thanks for all your great reviews, they really help me keep going! Have a great week guys, 

good things,

Austin B.


	7. Book!

My book, The Sham, is on sale!!

This is the URL:

http://www.publishamerica. com/shopping/shopdisplayproducts.asp?page130

Except without the space between the . and the com.

Just copy and paste that sucker into your browser and my book is about halfway down the page. Or you can go to publishamerica. com and search for my name: Nicole Schnurer. It should be available on Amazon. com in a few weeks, too. !!I"m so excited!! And I'm really happy that some of my fellow ff.n peeps have shown interest! And I really hope some of you give it a chance. It's worth it!

A.B.

Nicki S.


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